the american university of eirut

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THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF BEIRUT

OFFICE OF THE PROVOST

Strategic Planning Units (SPU) for Centers and Institutes1

Draft Report

July 2011

1 Chair: A. Dallal (Provost)

Vice-Chair: N. Ghaddar (Associate Provost, Acting Director of the Masri Institute of Energy and

Natural Resources)

Members:

L. Badr (Director of the Archeology Museum)

D. Callaghan (Assistant to the Provost for Special Projects)

R. Khoury (Director of the Issam Fares Institute for Public Policy and International Affairs)

M. Mabsout (Director of the Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service)

J. Meloy (Director of the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies)

N. Batakji (Administrative Assistant of CASAR)

A. Nahas (Director of the Office of Strategy Management)

R. Sadek (Director of the Natural History Museum)

N. Saliba (Director of IBSAR)

W. Sabra (Director of the Center for Advanced Mathematical Sciences)

R. Zureik (Chair of the IGESP Coordinating Committee)

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Table of Contents

Charge of the University Centers and Institutes SPU ............................................................................ 44

1. Mission .............................................................................................................................................. 55

1.1 General Mission Statement for AUB Centers, Institutes and Museums .................................. 55 1.2 Centers/Institutes/Museums Mission Statements .................................................................. 55

1.2.1 The Center for Advanced Mathematical Sciences (CAMS) ........................................... 55 1.2.2 The Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies (CAMES) .......................................... 55 1.2.3 The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Center for American Studies

and Research (CASAR) ................................................................................................ 55 1.2.4 The Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service (CCECS) ............................. 65 1.2.5 Interfaculty Graduate Environmental Sciences Program (IGESP) ................................. 66 1.2.6 The Issam Fares Institute (IFI) for Public Policy and International Affairs .................... 66 1.2.7 The Munib R. and Angela Masri Institute of Energy and Natural Resources ................ 66 1.2.8 IBSAR (Nature Conservation Center for Sustainable Futures) ...................................... 66 1.2.9 Natural History Museum (AUB-NHM) ........................................................................... 76 1.2.10 Archaeological Museum.............................................................................................. 77

2. Major Accomplishments (2007-11) ................................................................................................... 77

2.2.1 The Center for Advanced Mathematical Sciences (CAMS) ........................................... 77 2.2.2 The Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies (CAMES) .......................................... 77 2.2.3 The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Center for American Studies

and Research (CASAR) ................................................................................................ 88 2.2.4 The Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service (CCECS) ............................. 98 2.2.5 Interfaculty Graduate Environmental Sciences Program (IGESP) ............................... 109 2.2.6 The Issam Fares Institute (IFI) for Public Policy and International Affairs .................. 109 2.2.7 The Munib R. and Angela Masri Institute of Energy and Natural Resources ............ 1110 2.2.8 IBSAR (Nature Conservation Center for Sustainable Futures) .................................. 1110 2.2.9 Natural History Museum (AUB-NHM) ....................................................................... 1211 2.2.10 Archaeological Museum.......................................................................................... 1211

3. External Trends and Influences ..................................................................................................... 1211

4. Summary Analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats ................................. 1212

Strengths ...................................................................................................................................... 1312

Weaknesses ................................................................................................................................. 1312

Academic Issues ............................................................................................................... 1312 Fundraising ....................................................................................................................... 1313 Comptroller Processes and Financial Reporting .............................................................. 1413 Communication/Publicity Issues ...................................................................................... 1413 University Resources ........................................................................................................ 1514

Opportunities ............................................................................................................................... 1514

Threats ......................................................................................................................................... 1514

SWOT Summary ........................................................................................................................... 1615

5. Vision Statement ............................................................................................................................ 1815

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6. Strategic Goals and Objectives....................................................................................................... 1815

6.1 Goals Related Directly to Centers, Institutes, and Museums .............................................. 1815 Goal 1: Create a structure for the governance and coordination of all centers, institutes,

and museums .......................................................................................................... 1815 Goal 2: Promote the involvement of AUB faculty in the activities of centers, institutes,

and museums .......................................................................................................... 1915 Goal 3: Expand the resources and partners available to AUB centers, institutes, and

museums in order to increase the scope, reach, and effectiveness of their

activities. ................................................................................................................. 1915 Goal 4: Strengthen digitization and translation services ................................................... 1915 Goal 5: Advance evidence-based solutions to meet selected regional challenges in order

to better serve the peoples of the Middle East and beyond. .................................... 2015 6.2 Goals Pertaining to Other AUB Administrative Units Affecting the Performance of Centers, Institutes, and Museums ............................................................................................. 2015

Goal 6: Improve processes in the Comptroller’s Office to enhance the speed, accuracy, knowledge, and flexibility of staff........................................................................... 2015

Goal 7: Improve communications, publicity, and capacity for public events and media outreach in order to help centers, institutes, and museums achieve their separate

missions. ................................................................................................................. 2015

7. Initiatives Planning Details ............................................................................................................. 2115

7.1 Initiative 1: Governance of individual centers, institutes, and museums, and a coordinating structure for these units .................................................................... 2115

7.2 Initiative 2: Promote the involvement of AUB faculty ................................................. 2215 7.3 Initiative 3: Increase research and development funding ........................................... 2315 7.4 Initiative 4: Strengthen AUB support for centers, institutes, and museums ............... 2315 7.5 Initiative 5: Leadership and Excellence of Centers, Institutes, and Museums ............ 2415

8. Five-year estimates of staffing and resources ............................................................................... 2515

8.1 Staffing ................................................................................................................................. 2515 8.2 GA full-time FTE Lines........................................................................................................... 2515 8.3 Space .................................................................................................................................... 2515 8.4 Equipment ............................................................................................................................ 2515

9. Centers and Institutes Key Performance Indicators ...................................................................... 3115

10. Mechanisms and Activities to Secure Faculty/Staff Input in Planning Process ........................... 3215

11. Schedule of Strategic Performance Reviews ............................................................................... 3315

12. Other Considerations ................................................................................................................... 3315

Appendix A. SWOT of Individual Centers and Institutes .................................................................... 3415

Appendix B. Vision Statement of Individual Centers, Institutes, and Museums ............................... 4215

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Charge of the University Centers and Institutes SPU

The AUB 2008 Self-Study report contained the following two recommendations related to

interdisciplinary education and research (Chapter 2 on Planning, Resource Allocation, and

Institutional Renewal):

Conduct a comprehensive review of the missions of all AUB research centers and

on current practices, policies and procedures pertaining to their establishment,

funding, management, and assessment.

Propose, in consultation with the directors of the centers, the appropriate deans,

the provost, and other University officers as needed, clear and consistent policies

and procedures that cover these areas.

The aim of the Centers and Institutes SPU is to determine the current state of centers and

institutes at the University, and to propose a comprehensive strategic plan for their role,

governance, oversight, and financial identity. It is expected that the SPU will recommend

appropriate initiatives for AUB‘s centers and institutes to enable interdisciplinary work; to

ensure their alignment and contribution to the University‘s mission; to sustain and

optimize their resources; and to enhance their role in promoting education, research, and

outreach at the University.

The Centers and Institutes SPU shall:

Establish clear goals.

Recommend strategies and policies for interfaculty and interdisciplinary

coordination and governance.

Promote interdisciplinary research.

Assess needs and potential for shared resources.

Identify measurable metrics for evaluating progress toward mission achievement.

Recommend clear (unified) policies for the financial planning and periodic

financial reporting of the University‘s institutes and centers.

Identify key performance indicators for each department within the SPU.

Prepare a final strategic planning report for the SPU in accordance with the

common plan outline and the Strategic Planning Schedule.

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1. Mission 1.1 General Mission Statement for AUB Centers, Institutes and Museums

The University‘s centers, institutes, and museums provide an enabling intellectual and

physical environment for faculty to advance interdisciplinary research, education, and

cultural activities. They also create academic opportunities for faculty and students to

engage in problem-centered collaborative projects in the service of the region and beyond.

1.2 Centers/Institutes/Museums Mission Statements

1.2.1 The Center for Advanced Mathematical Sciences (CAMS) CAMS provides a vehicle for promoting research and graduate studies in the

mathematical sciences, as well as a focal point for collaborative research among

scientists and mathematicians in Lebanon and the region at large.

1.2.2 The Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies (CAMES) The goal of the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies (CAMES) is to enhance

understanding of the Middle East and Islamic civilization and to encourage informed

scholarship in all academic disciplines at AUB. CAMES is an interdepartmental,

interdisciplinary unit that awards an interdisciplinary MA degree in Middle East

studies. The center offers some of its own seminars in Middle East and Islamic studies

as well as the full range of Arabic language courses for non-native speakers. It also

hosts a seven-week intensive Arabic language program in the summer. To

complement students‘ course work and to promote scholarship about the Middle East

at AUB, the center also sponsors visiting lectures and conferences and holds

occasional events such as film showings and readings.

1.2.3 The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Center for American Studies and Research (CASAR) The Center for American Studies and Research (CASAR) at the American University

of Beirut aims to establish and maintain a world-class locus of activity and exchange

of ideas for an interdisciplinary community of researchers, teachers, students and

others in the Middle East interested in building further understanding of American

institutions and practices (political, social, economic, cultural) and the complex

contextual realities in which these institutions and practices have developed and

currently exist. CASAR‘s mission has three specific components:

1. The teaching component aims to provide students with basic knowledge about

American institutions and practices in an interdisciplinary way;

2. The research component aims to promote interdisciplinary research and academic

exchange on a range of topics, with particular attention to exploring the Arab-

American encounter through historical and contemporary perspectives, using both

descriptive and comparative analytical frameworks;

3. The outreach component aims to facilitate an open exchange of ideas and to

enhance understanding among local, regional, and international communities (both

academic and non-academic) with respect to American institutions and practices in

context, as well as all aspects of the Arab-American encounter.

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1.2.4 The Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service (CCECS) The Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service (CCECS) aims to develop

a culture of service and civic leadership within the AUB community and provide

opportunities for AUB students, faculty, and staff from all backgrounds to study and

respond to social and civic needs. The center identifies, integrates, and supports

university-wide community initiatives, thus upholding AUB‘s mission of service

toward its community. The center seeks connections between civic engagement and

liberal learning and encourages leadership, scholarship, volunteerism, and community

partnerships by:

Promoting the integration of service to society with academic study and research

in a variety of disciplines;

Encouraging responsibility and leadership through volunteer services; and

Creating close links with the community.

1.2.5 Interfaculty Graduate Environmental Sciences Program (IGESP) Through teaching, research and service, IGESP aims to inspire and inform policy and

practice related to environment and sustainable development, which lead to the

reduction of poverty and the achievement of sustainable livelihoods. The program

strives to:

Improve understanding of human/environmental links;

Promote sustainable development;

Promote the formulation of policies, plans, projects related to the environment.

The aim of the program is to create an enabling environment within AUB, Lebanon

and the Middle East region for the conservation of natural resources and the

environment, by developing economically viable solutions to reduce resource

consumption, limit pollution and conserve natural habitats.

1.2.6 The Issam Fares Institute (IFI) for Public Policy and International Affairs IFI taps into a wealth of knowledge, research, and critical thinking to inform and

enrich the quality of interaction amongst scholars, officials, and civil society actors in

the Middle East and abroad. IFI believes this will raise the quality of public policy-

related debate and decision-making and enhance the Arab World‘s engagement with

international affairs.

1.2.7 The Munib R. and Angela Masri Institute of Energy and Natural Resources The Munib R. and Angela Masri Institute of Energy and Natural Resources is

conceived as a framework that will galvanize and support energy research at AUB by

providing opportunities for faculty members to: 1) engage in collaborative

interdisciplinary research; 2) integrate resources in order to achieve higher research

quality; and 3) attract public and private regional and international partnerships and

funding.

1.2.8 IBSAR (Nature Conservation Center for Sustainable Futures) The mission of IBSAR is to promote conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity

for the purpose of enhancing the wellbeing of people and nature by providing an

open, innovative, and collaborative platform. Our mission is achieved through

research, education, community outreach, and knowledge dissemination.

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1.2.9 Natural History Museum (AUB-NHM) The mission of the AUB-NHM is to play an important scientific, educational and

environmental role by enhancing, through its activities and exhibitions, the public

awareness, understanding and appreciation of the natural environment. It strives to

serve, through its valuable plant and animal collections, as a leading center and

promoter of scientific studies of regional fauna and flora, biological diversity,

biogeography, and conservation within Lebanon and the Middle East. The museum‘s

curators and scientists will, together with regional and international collaborations,

provide consultation and expertise and facilitate research opportunities at the

graduate, undergraduate, and other professional levels.

1.2.10 Archaeological Museum The mission of the University‘s Archaeological Museum is to make its collections

accessible to the AUB community and to provide students and faculty with the

opportunity for formal and informal object-based learning. It also welcomes visits

from members of the public. The museum provides an important resource for regional

and international scholars and researchers. The museum has a larger outreach

program to the Lebanese community through its various activities: exhibitions,

lectures, special guided visits, children‘s archaeological programs, and their special

library. The museum has a thorough research fieldwork program in collaboration with

international scholars in conducting archaeological excavations in Lebanon and the

region.

2. Major Accomplishments (2007-11)

The accomplishments of the centers, institutes, and museums are listed separately.

2.2.1 The Center for Advanced Mathematical Sciences (CAMS) 1. Created a research environment in the mathematical sciences and a competitive

atmosphere among departments of science and engineering.

2. Helped students in identifying subjects of interest and pursuing PhDs in Europe

and the US through the organization of hundreds of seminars, several mini-

courses, workshops, summer schools, and conferences.

3. Established the Atiyah Chair in Mathematics at the University, which is mainly

endowed (so far) by the Simon‘s Foundation.

4. Established a postdoctoral program at the University for Arab scientists.

5. Brought the scientific community at various Lebanese universities together

through the joint organization of workshops and conferences. This helped

tremendously in removing the barriers between French and American institutions.

6. Offered specialized mini-courses in math, physics, computer science, and

economics to AUB graduate students and faculty members.

2.2.2 The Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies (CAMES)

The primary mission of the Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies is the Master’s program in Middle Eastern Studies. The program remains the largest and entry most competitive in the FAS. Since 2007, about forty students have graduated

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from the program with several going on to high profile careers in academic and journalism. A project option requiring additional coursework has been added to the curriculum to better satisfy the needs of students who do not intend to continue their studies at the doctoral level. CAMES has higher additional part-time and visiting faculty so that the program can offer a wider range of graduate seminars and a full set of Arabic language courses at all levels. The center’s summer intensive Arabic language program continues to flourish and in recent years has become highly selective, having developed a reputation for excellence and rigor and attracting top students from Europe and North America. Each year CAMES sponsors lectures and informal research presentations by visiting and local scholars of the Middle East, numbering twenty a year. The center has also hosted a select number of distinguished visiting scholars for short stays and has provided a base for as many as forty affiliated visiting researchers at the doctoral and post-doctoral levels for longer periods. CAMES continues to host lectures by visiting and local scholars as well as co- sponsored conferences and symposia, collaborating with other academic units on campus (such as PSPA and IFI) as well as universities, research institutes, and foundations based in Beirut. The published proceedings of a symposium on al-Jahiz (Beirut/Würzburg, 2009), a collaboration with the German Orient-Institut Beirut, was awarded the World Prize for Book of the Year by the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Center nearly completed the renovation of its attractive space in Ada Dodge

Hall, which will incorporate a language lab and a smart classroom, and purchased for

it new computers, equipment, and furniture.

The Center has also sought to better integrate its course offerings with other

departments through cross-listing while it continues to foster ties with other

departments and faculty through an extensive commitment of its budget resources

towards co-sponsoring AUB events related to Middle East Studies. Its courses

continue to be heavily subscribed by visiting and special students as well as graduate

students in other MA programs. CAMES-affiliated faculty began designing

undergraduate courses and a possible additional core seminar in Islamic Studies.

Taking over a role usually played by the staff of AUB’s New York Office, CAMES

represented AUB at the annual Middle East Studies Association (MESA) meeting.

After consulting the Provost and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Sciences, the

Director initiated the process of developing a steering committee to manage the

program, develop stronger ties with the departments, consider expanding its

capacity for instruction in Arabic as a foreign language, and help plan the center’s

possible development of a new degree program in Islamic Studies.

2.2.3 The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Center for American Studies and Research (CASAR)

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In addition to hosting twenty lectures every year, CASAR had two main

accomplishments during the period 2007-11 and that is sponsoring two conferences.

The first conference was entitled: ―Liberty and Justice: America and the Middle

East,‖ held in January 2008, and the second was entitled: ―Connections and Ruptures:

America and the Middle East,‖ held in January 2010. Each conference hosted over 60

speakers coming from 15 countries to discuss topics related to America and the

Middle East. In 2009, CASAR published the proceedings volume of ―Liberty and

Justice.‖ The proceedings of ―Connections and Ruptures‖ will be published in May

2011. The center also sponsored a full-day seminar on the United States and the

Middle East (May 14, 2009) in which a group of AUB faculty and graduate students

met with a similar group from the University of Tehran.

In 2007-11, CASAR also supported AUB faculty conducting research related to

American Studies with over $180,000 worth of research grants. In addition, CASAR

supported graduate students working on thesis topics related to American Studies.

CASAR also offered a total of 39 courses during this period and 12 students have

completed the requirements for a Minor in American Studies. CASAR hired its first

Edward Said Chair of American Studies in fall 2008-09 and this position is now filled

annually by a prominent scholar of American Studies. In addition, CASAR hired two

visiting professors during 2007-11.

2.2.4 The Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service (CCECS)

―AUB Summer Volunteering Camp 2010‖ with the Civil Engineering Society

(CES) and in collaboration with Ibsar where ninety students, faculty and staff

supervisors volunteered their expertise in community development projects in

several villages and towns in the Beqaa region;

―AUB Volunteering Fair 2010, For a Better Community‖ aimed at connecting

non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and AUB centers and groups involved in

community work with the university community.

―Seeds of Hope – Power of Planting‖ community tree planting campaign with

Ibsar in various villages and towns;

―E-waste Awareness and Collection Day‖ with Beeatoona NGO and the

Environmental Club, which launched the electronic waste initiative and declared

AUB an official e-waste collection point;

―Computer Recycling Project‖ in partnership with Computer and Networking

Services (CNS), involving students training on refurbishing, with about one

hundred computers donated to several needing communities/centers to date;

―Supporting Education in Public Schools‖ in collaboration with MMKN NGO,

with student volunteers selected to teach reinforcement classes on a regular basis

in math, sciences, and foreign languages in public schools;

―Inclusive Cafés and Restaurants‖ with the Youth Association of the Blind (YAB)

to encourage cafés and restaurants to print their menus in Braille and including

training staff and waiters to cater to the visually impaired clientele;

―Souq Sabra – Development Study and Upgrading Project‖ and ―Karm El Zeitoun

Neighborhood Study and Landscape Design‖ and community-based projects

including design and construction involving interdisciplinary teams from AUB

and Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development and participation of

the community.

Several Community-Based Academic Projects assigned/taken by teams of

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students under faculty supervision in various departments/faculties, namely as

Final Year Projects (FYP) or independent research/studies in partnership with

university centers and external organizations.

2.2.5 Interfaculty Graduate Environmental Sciences Program (IGESP) By June 2009, 85 students had graduated from the program. Over the same period,

the program accumulated over US $1,350,000 in interdisciplinary research and

development grants and contracts. This has enabled the publication of over 300

articles, reports and training manuals during the past 10 years. Nearly half of these

are in internationally refereed journals. The projects typically address the multiple

facets of sustainable development, including environment, livelihoods and policy.

They involve interventions at the community level jointly conducted by faculty

members and graduate students. They result in significant academic outcomes, such

as PhD and MS theses, journal articles and conference presentations.

The program strives to produce responsible graduates who can go onto become

leaders and agents of change in the Arab region. In Lebanon, graduates of the

program have been pivotal in establishing the newly-created Ministry of the

Environment. Aside from government, graduates have been recruited to top positions

in private consulting firms, in international and UN organizations, as well as in the

local non-profit sector. One of the program graduates has founded an NGO

(IndyACT) that has been extremely active in promoting the Arab Climate Campaign

and was invited to the Copenhagen Summit in December 2009 to represent Lebanese

civil society.

A number of students have found employment in the Arabian Gulf countries,

where they hold key positions that influence sustainable development. One of them is

currently a project manager in the Sustainable Development Unit‘s Policy and

Strategy Department in the Executive Council of the Government of Dubai. Several

students have also elected to pursue higher education abroad; many have received full

scholarships in the US and Europe. Some have returned as faculty members for the

program.

2.2.6 The Issam Fares Institute (IFI) for Public Policy and International Affairs

The year 2009/10 was eventful and satisfying for IFI, as we implemented all the ideas

and plans that we had formulated in our first three years of life. We fully launched our

six core programs in the fields of climate change and environment, Arab youth,

Palestinian refugee camps, the links between research and policy-making in our region,

food security in the Arab region, and the UN and International Law in the Middle East.

All IFI core programs initiated or expanded their basic activities. This has

included, most notably: commissioning and funding original research, hosting

workshops and conferences, holding public lectures and panel discussions, and

publishing policy memos. We have also started publishing ―working papers‖ based on

original research we fund and, in most cases, initiate. We held several regional

scholarly roundtables last year in other countries (UAE, Tunisia, and Egypt).

We are particularly pleased to continue funding new policy-relevant research by

AUB professors, thus fulfilling our core mission of generating new knowledge that can

be used to influence public policy-making in the Arab world. We also started funding

research by AUB MA and PhD students.

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2.2.7 The Munib R. and Angela Masri Institute of Energy and Natural Resources The Munib R. and Angela Masri Institute of Energy and Natural Resources was

established in 2007. The steering committee has supported five two-year research

grants, worth $20,000 each, for:

―Microbial Fuel Cells and Thermophelic Anaerobic Digestion: Biotechnology

Advancement Providing Sustainable Solutions to Energy Insecurity in developing

Countries‖ (Civil and Environmental Engineering Department);

―Synthesis of New Dyes and Their Applications in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells‖

(Chemistry Department);

―Preparations of Novel Discotic Liquid Crystals for Use in Organic

Photovoltaics‖ (Chemistry Department);

―Portfolio Management of Upstream, Offshore, Petroleum Activities with

Application to Lebanon‖ (Engineering Management Program); and

―Optimized Selection and Operation of Solar Assisted Liquid Desiccant System

to Supply Fresh Water and Cooling Demands by Modeling and Experimentation‖

(Mechanical Engineering Department).

In May 24, 2010, the Masri Institute Steering Committee organized a one-day

workshop for research presentations. A new call for proposals for the cycle 2011-13

was released in March 2011 and a second annual workshop was conducted on May

21, 2011. The institute‘s steering committee meets regularly and has approved its

governance structure and charter.

2.2.8 IBSAR (Nature Conservation Center for Sustainable Futures) Research has led to national, regional and international collaborations. The Marex

project, for example, is a joint research effort between Ibsar and 19 international

partners. In Food and Biodiversity, collaboration is evident between 20 faculty

members at AUB and the University of Ottawa. Other projects, like Nature

ConVersation and Power of Planting, have successfully established collaborations

between AUB and the public and private sectors (schools and municipalities).

Still others, such as IBDAA, have focused on raising awareness and involving

AUB students. Currently, six programs with research, outreach, and academic

components are actively in progress.

The center has continued to secure donations and grants from different agencies

for its activities despite the international economic crisis. This year, a total of

$831,691 was solicited.

IBSAR has worked on many research and community projects over the past five

years to become a leading reference in collection, propagation, cultivation, and

knowledge dissemination related to Lebanese and regional biodiversity issues.

Activities included the establishment of nurseries (5) in central villages; national

workshops and seminars; publications in scientific journals (47); working papers;

newsletters (10); and pamphlets.

IBSAR has involved several AUB faculty members from various departments

(including basic sciences, engineering, medicine, social sciences and humanities)

in work on projects related to nature conservation. This fruitful interdisciplinary

interaction was appealing to students who were enthusiastic to volunteer and help

in ongoing projects. This year 19 faculty members from 7 departments and 15

students and 12 staff members are collaborating on different IBSAR projects.

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2.2.9 Natural History Museum (AUB-NHM) Improving the safety measures for the collection with the cooperation of AUB‘s

Internal Audit Office.

Continuing maintenance and renovation of the collections.

Completion of the digitization of the data for several collections.

Continuing image digitization of some plant collections.

Participation in the Middle East Biodiversity Network meeting in Aqaba, Jordan,

through which links are established with regional and European museums and

biodiversity experts.

2.2.10 Archaeological Museum The Archaeological Museum annually hosts one exhibition, eight to nine public

lectures; four children‘s programs; two seminars on museology or archaeology; and

one or two trainees in museology. It participates in international exhibitions by

sending on loan objects to IMA (Paris) and Metropolitan Museum (NY), and

publishes two newsletters and an average of two to four articles in scientific journals

each year. In 2009, the museum produced, in collaboration with the Ministry of

Tourism, a brochure on the museums of Lebanon. The major achievement of 2010

was the creation and opening of a new crypt museum by the AUB Museum Director

in St. George Cathedral (Greek Orthodox). The archaeological findings preserved in

the crypt were excavated by the AUB Museum team in 1994-95. The AUB Museum

is a member of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and its present

Director, Dr. Badre, is the president of the ICOM National Committee.

3. External Trends and Influences

Political Instability: Political and other developments in the Arab world increase the

interest of scholars and students in joining CAMES. However, instability in Lebanon and

the region makes it difficult to bring planned events, such as international conferences, to

fruition. Cancelations may take place without warning.

Interdisciplinary Education and Research: The shift to problem-centered research and

degree programs is a global trend that encompasses fields other than environmental

studies.

Economic crisis: External funding opportunities have been reduced due to the global

economic crisis.

Arab development challenges and governance reforms: Capacity building in areas of

governance, policy development, and democracy necessitates flexibility in educational

offerings, outreach, and service training to deal with issues emerging in Arab countries.

4. Summary Analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

SWOT analyses received from the individual centers, institutes, and museums may be

found in Appendix A.

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Strengths

S1. Endowment funds are available for some of the centers.

S2. Strong academic infrastructure supporting the centers when assistance is

needed.

S3. Solid academic outreach programs.

S4. Location in Beirut and the freedom of expression within the country and AUB.

S5. Broad recognition when the center is associated with AUB.

S6. Quality of scholarly and cultural activities.

S7. Quality of scholars in activities.

S8. Excellent faculty with national and international reputations.

S9. Engaged student body.

S10. Good library resources.

S11. Centers respond to the needs of the region and have the flexibility and

expertise to contribute positively to contemporary issues.

S12. Uniqueness and historical depth of AUB-NHM collection.

S13. Museum collections are well-kept for educational and scholarly work.

S14. Supportive alumni and friends of the University.

S15. University commitment to interdisciplinary programs.

S16. Foreigners can easily adapt to Lebanon‘s relatively open culture.

Weaknesses

Academic Issues

W1. Promotion policies do not value outreach or service through centers and

institutes.

W2. Faculty participation in and contribution to centers‘ activities are not

recognized by departments and do not lead to a reduction in the workload.

Research centers in particular are unable to get faculty members to participate

due to heavy course loads.

W3. No clear policy/processes for academic and administrative evaluation of

directors.

W4. Interdisciplinary research/programs are not well supported by the institution.

There is no incentive for interdisciplinary programs to negotiate releases for

their course offerings.

W5. Lack of systematic assessment of and self-evaluation by some centers (external

and internal).

W6. Lack of a consistent evaluation system for faculty grants awarded by some

centers (e.g., CASAR, IFI).

Fundraising

W7. Centers that are 100% endowed may face limitations when soliciting extra

funds from the same donor for program expansion (single source support).

W8. The Office of Advancement‘s policies and processes for advocacy and

feedback are unclear.

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W9. Lack of coordination between endowed centers and the Office of

Advancement on donor reporting mechanisms. It is not always clear if periodic

reports should be sent through the Office of Advancement or directly to

donors.

Comptroller Processes and Financial Reporting

W10. Financial data are not aggregated for each center. Some centers‘ budgets are

divided into multiple categories or drawn from different sources (research

grants, endowment, operating budget, capital equipment) making it difficult to

view them or obtain information. CASAR has to contact four staff members to

get the various portions of their budget.

W11. Lack of staff expertise and professional leadership in the Comptroller‘s Office.

W12. Comptroller processes are slow and opaque with many layers of approval.

Directors have to contact several individuals to get information on a single

point and trace who is in charge of a particular account. Some directors

maintain their own parallel financial statements to help them to identify

erroneous charges and to compensate for the delayed data entry of budgetary

commitments.

W13. The Comptroller is unable to deal with new categories of center/museum

activity, such as visiting scholars and advance payments to personnel external

to AUB.

Communication/Publicity Issues

W14. The policy for the prioritization of stories on the AUB homepage is unclear.

The same stories are carried for several days.

W15. Inadequate support mechanism for events. In faculties, support staff handle

such details as meeting room reservations, catering, publicity, press releases,

access and parking, and hotel reservations. In centers, directors make these

arrangements with minimal assistance. The AUB event coordinator only works

on major University events (e.g., commencement ceremonies). Centers and

museums need some central events support mechanism.

W16. Online room reservations and booking schedules are not available for West

Hall auditoriums. It is not clear which rooms are free and at what times, and

which rooms require payment of a fee. There is no apparent mechanism for

booking most outdoor spaces at AUB.

W17. Limited possibilities for product and other IP development due to lack of

policies and support mechanisms.

W18. Centers are sometimes disconnected from the community because of perceived

AUB elitism and association with US politics.

W19. Inconsistent publicity for centers‘ activities.

W20. Lack of coordination when scheduling of public events and activities.

Interaction with people outside of AUB does not go through a central office for

consistency of process and clarity of responsibility.

W21. Lack of dedicated professional Arabic translation office/staff at AUB to

support interaction and collaboration with the Arab world.

15

University Resources

W22. Inability to recruit skilled staff for museums or labs.

W23. Online outreach activities are affected by the slow internet.

W24. Scholarly collections are not completely digitized and are not online.

W25. Limited space for faculty fellows and visiting scholars.

Opportunities

O1. Centers have the flexibility to respond to rapid political and other

developments in the Middle East.

O2. Centers rooted in the region stand a better chance of changing attitudes and

practices through evidence-based research.

O3. Higher demand for graduate education at AUB.

O4. Increased regional interest in liberal arts education in English.

O5. Renewed interest in Middle East studies.

O6. Focus on interdisciplinary education and problem-based research.

O7. Expanding partnerships and internationalization of institutions worldwide.

O8. More external funding opportunities in some fields.

O9. Increased cooperation of faculty across disciplines.

O10. Influential alumni willing to endow centers.

O11. Education reforms in the Arab world.

Threats

T1. Presence of other well-supported centers at regional universities.

T2. Competition with local and regional NGOs which receive funding for

community projects and are not perceived as foreign affiliates.

T3. Travel warning for Lebanon.

T4. Global economic crisis.

T5. Limited space for growth on campus.

16

SWOT Summary Strengths Weaknesses

S1. Endowment funds are available for some

of the centers.

W1. Promotion policies do not value

outreach or service through centers and

institutes.

S2. Strong academic infrastructure

supporting the centers when assistance is

needed.

W2. Faculty participation in and

contribution to centers‘ activities are

not recognized by departments and do

not lead to a reduction in the workload.

S3. Solid academic outreach programs. W3. No clear policy/processes for academic

and administrative evaluation of

directors.

S4. Location in Beirut and the freedom of

expression within the country and AUB.

W4. Interdisciplinary research/programs are

not well supported by the institution.

S5. Broad recognition when the center is

associated with AUB.

W5. Lack of systematic assessment of and

self-evaluation by some centers

(external and internal).

S6. Quality of scholarly and cultural

activities.

W6. Lack of a consistent evaluation system

for faculty grants awarded by some

centers (e.g., CASAR, IFI).

S7. Quality of scholars in activities. W7. Centers that are 100% endowed may

face limitations when soliciting extra

funds from the same donor for program

expansion (single source support).

S8. Excellent faculty with national and

international reputations.

W8. The Office of Advancement‘s policies

and processes for advocacy and

feedback are unclear.

S9. Engaged student body. W9. Lack of coordination between endowed

centers and the Office of Advancement

on donor reporting mechanisms.

S10. Good library resources. W10. Financial data are not aggregated for

each center.

S11. Centers respond to the needs of the region

and have the flexibility and expertise to

contribute positively to contemporary

issues.

W11. Lack of staff expertise and professional

leadership in the Comptroller‘s Office.

S12. Uniqueness and historical depth of AUB-

NHM collection.

W12. Comptroller processes are slow and

opaque with many layers of approval.

S13. Museum collections are well-kept for

educational and scholarly work.

W13. Comptroller is unable to deal with new

categories of center/museum activity.

S14. Supportive alumni and friends of the

University.

W14. Unclear policy for prioritizing stories

on the AUB webpage and the same

stories are carried for several days.

S15. University commitment to

interdisciplinary programs.

W15. Inadequate support mechanism for

events.

S16. Foreigners can easily adapt to

Lebanon‘s relatively open culture.

W16. Online room reservations and booking

schedules are not available for West

Hall auditoriums.

17

Strengths Weaknesses

W17. Limited possibilities for product and

other IP development due to lack of

policies and support mechanisms.

W18. Centers are sometimes disconnected

from the community because of

perceived AUB elitism and association

with US politics.

W19. Inconsistent publicity for centers‘

activities.

W20. Lack of coordination when scheduling

of public events and activities.

W21. Lack of dedicated professional Arabic

translation office/staff at AUB.

W22. Inability to recruit skilled staff for

museums or labs.

W23. Online outreach activities are affected

by the slow internet.

W24. Scholarly collections are not

completely digitized and are not online.

W25. Limited space for faculty fellows and

visiting scholars.

Opportunities Threats

O1. Centers have the flexibility to respond to

rapid political and other developments in

the Middle East.

T1. Presence of other well-supported

centers at regional universities.

O2. Centers rooted in the region stand a better

chance of changing attitudes and practices

through evidence-based research.

T2. Competition with local and regional

NGOs which receive funding for

community projects and are not

perceived as foreign affiliates.

O3. Higher demand for graduate education at

AUB.

T3. Travel warning for Lebanon.

O4. Increased regional interest in liberal arts

education in English.

T4. Global economic crisis.

O5. Renewed interest in Middle East studies. T5. Limited space for growth on campus.

O6. Focus on interdisciplinary education and

problem-based research.

O7. Expanding partnerships and

internationalization of institutions

worldwide.

O8. More external funding opportunities in

some fields.

O9. Increased cooperation of faculty across

disciplines.

O10. Influential alumni willing to endow

centers.

O11. Education reforms in the Arab world.

18

5. Vision Statement

AUB‘s centers, institutes, and museums, through their dynamism, leadership, and

interdisciplinarity, contribute to the broadening of knowledge and engage in problem-

centered collaborative projects for the benefit of society.

6. Strategic Goals and Objectives

6.1 Goals Related Directly to Centers, Institutes, and Museums

Goal 1: Create a structure for the governance and coordination of all centers, institutes, and museums that will encourage them to develop new synergies with one

another and with other academic units at AUB.

Strategies

1. Include executive or steering committees and external advisory boards in the

governance structure of all centers, institutes, and museums. Administrative

guidelines for centers, institutes, and museums have already been developed, and

their implementation will be one of the initiatives associated with Goal 1.

2. Proceed with the formal administrative restructuring of the Natural History

Museum (AUB-NHM) so that it becomes an interdisciplinary unit reporting to the

provost or FAS dean and following the same guidelines as other centers,

institutes, and museums.

3. Assign graduate assistant (GA) lines to centers and institutes which offer degrees.

These GA lines are outside of the lines allocated to departments and programs,

and will be assigned by the provost. Centers, institutes, and museums which do

not offer degrees will be assigned graduate students in the work-study (financial

aid) program to help as needed.

4. Establish a Centers, Institutes, and Museums Council (CIMC) chaired by the

provost and composed of the directors of all University centers, institutes, and

museums, as well as the deans of the faculties/schools. The CIMC will meet at

least once per semester.

The CIMC will serve in an advisory capacity to the provost on issues related to

centers, institutes, and museums. The council‘s primary aims will be to consider,

at the provost‘s request, relevant policy and governance issues; to promote

synergies across these and other AUB units; and to encourage the growth and

development of centers, institutes, and museums.

The functions of the CIMC will include:

Advise the provost on policies related to academic appointment procedures

for faculty research associates affiliated with the centers, institutes, and

museums who are not employees of AUB. (‗Faculty research associates‘

here refers to the new academic line that the SPU recommends for the

support of these units.)

Develop and recommend policies and procedures for the review of centers,

institutes, and museums. Introduce formal periodic review and self-

evaluation processes for continuous improvement.

Advise the provost on incentives for faculty who contribute, in a significant

way, to advancing the work of a center, institute, or museum.

19

Share the achievements of centers, institutes, and museums with the AUB

community.

Establish by-laws for CIMC governance.

Consolidate the quarterly reports of the centers, institutes, and museums for

submission to the provost.

Goal 2: Promote the involvement of AUB faculty in the activities of centers, institutes, and museums in order to strengthen the University‘s environment for

problem-centered collaborative research and education.

Strategies

1. Provide incentives for faculty to participate in the activities of centers, institutes,

and museums, including funding for research; graduate fellowships; teaching

secondments (for centers with degree programs); and support for visiting

scholars. Other forms of incentive may accompany co-sponsorship of events or

consultancies through REP.

2. Develop mechanisms for the formal appointment of academic lines for teaching,

research, and outreach in coordination with faculties/departments.

3. Raise the visibility of participating faculty by providing some level of return to

participating departments.

Goal 3: Expand the resources and partners available to AUB centers, institutes, and museums in order to increase the scope, reach, and effectiveness of their activities.

Strategies 1. Increase partnerships with peer centers, institutes, and museums regionally and

internationally.

2. Pursue research and development funding.

3. Develop a mechanism, in conjunction with the Office of Advancement, to

enhance coordination in meeting common goals.

4. Include centers, institutes, and museums in the University‘s capital campaign.

Goal 4: Strengthen digitization and translation services to enhance the visibility and

impact of AUB‘s collections, research, and events.

Strategies

1. Identify the digitization needs of centers, institutes, and museums, and strategies

for the optimal use of digital materials in research and education.

2. Improve existing equipment and facilities for digitization services, including

storage capacity for records and databases.

3. Digitize University collections and select forms of research data compiled by

centers, institutes, and museums.

4. Establish a translation services center in conjunction with the Arabic and English

departments.

5. Enable greater participation by native Arabic speakers by providing mobile

equipment for real-time interpretation and translation.

20

Goal 5: Advance evidence-based solutions to meet selected regional challenges in

order to better serve the peoples of the Middle East and beyond. Strategies

1. Identify regional needs and conduct relevant problem-based interdisciplinary

research.

2. Revise the mission and vision statements of the centers, institutes, and museums

to ensure alignment with the broader mission statement and objectives in this

document.

3. Share recommended solutions with stakeholders in the public and private sectors,

as well as members of the AUB community.

4. Develop policies and mechanisms for technology transfer and collaborations with

businesses to establish start-up companies.

6.2 Goals Pertaining to Other AUB Administrative Units Affecting the Performance of Centers, Institutes, and Museums Goal 6: Improve processes in the Comptroller’s Office to enhance the speed, accuracy, knowledge, and flexibility of staff so that they can better support the

activities of centers, institutes, and museums.

Strategies

1. Involve faculty and staff with expertise in EC, NIH, NSF, IDRC, and similar

policies when hiring Comptroller‘s Office personnel for positions involving

grants and contracts.

2. Provide Finance and Comptroller‘s Office personnel with professional training so

that they will be more responsive to the needs of centers, institutes, and museums.

3. Clarify the roles and responsibilities of staff in the Comptroller‘s Office so that

directors know who to contact when following up on orders and budget inquiries.

Goal 7: Improve communications, publicity, and capacity for public events and media outreach in order to help centers, institutes, and museums achieve their separate

missions. Strategies

1. Hire a dedicated communications and media officer for centers, institutes, and

museums to publish a periodic newsletter, develop website content, and draft

press releases and articles on activities for publication.

2. Improve policies for meeting room/lecture hall reservations, and establish policies

for the reservation of outside areas.

3. Generate, in coordination with the Office of Communications, central mailing

lists and databases for outreach to the community.

4. Improve communications among centers, institutes, and museums.

21

7. Initiatives Planning Details

7.1 Initiative 1: Governance of individual centers, institutes, and museums, and a

coordinating structure for these units

7.1.1 Leadership

1) Director: The director is an academic who has achieved recognition in the unit‘s

specific field of research, education, or service. The director reports to the provost

or to the dean if the unit is within a faculty/school. The director works in

consultation with AUB administrators and with the center, institute, or museum

steering committee and external advisory council/board. The director is

responsible for the management of the unit including, as applicable: developing

research programs; planning and supporting activities; encouraging dialogue

within and beyond AUB; integrating the activities of the unit with faculties and

programs at AUB; forging working relations with experts in the region; and

developing relationships with other institutions and organizations throughout the

region and the world. The director, in consultation with the steering committee,

will create and recommend a development plan for fundraising to the provost;

manage the operating budget, and propose and oversee strategic plans for the

unit‘s development.

2) Associate or Assistant Director: Depending on the extent of the center‘s

academic and outreach activities, an associate or assistant director may also be

appointed in consultation with the provost and/or dean.

3) Steering Committee, Advisory Board, or Executive Committee: Steering

committee members are appointed by the provost or dean (if the unit is within a

faculty/school) in consultation with the director, normally for terms of three

years, renewable. Members are selected from among AUB faculty who work in

fields relevant to the unit‘s mission. The steering committee meets at least once

per semester in meetings chaired by the director.

The steering committee provides advice on the strategic goals and plans of the

unit, and guidance on the integration of its activities with other centers institutions

nationally and internationally. The steering committee advises the director on

annual financial planning for functions and activities.

For example: CASAR’s Executive Committee: This committee includes AUB

faculty members from American Studies- related fields. The faculty members are

appointed for two-year terms, in consultation with the Dean and department

chairpersons.

4) External Advisory Council or Board: The council/board‘s membership depends

on the unit‘s original charter and includes the director and provost or dean. Other

members are appointed from among regional or international leaders in the unit‘s

field of interest. The council/board provides feedback and advice on the unit‘s

current and/or future activities; advocates for the unit outside of the University;

and monitors its mission, outcomes, and long-term programs. It meets at least

once every two years depending on its defined center-specific role. Specific tasks

range from direct support of operations (activities), budget planning, development

and long-range planning, to fundraising and the management of funds from the

unit‘s endowment or gifts.

22

For example: CASAR’s International Advisory Board: participates in a periodic review process for CASAR and serves as an ongoing networking and fundraising tool for the center. The board is comprised of invited academic faculty from abroad (regional and international) and representatives of external stakeholder groups. The International Advisory Board meets every two to three years to consult with the CASAR director and individuals affiliated with the center regarding CASAR’s accomplishments, plans and initiatives. The main function of this group would be to meet monthly with the director to advise on the development of the teaching, research, and outreach programs.

7.1.2 Personnel

1) Unit staff: Each unit should have at least one permanent staff member

(administrative assistant) to support and help coordinate its activities.

2) Participating Faculty from AUB: Faculty members‘ roles are identified in

relation to the unit‘s teaching, research, or service activities. The director is

responsible for officially informing home departments/faculties of a faculty

member‘s involvement in the unit; of any applicable external support and indirect

cost recovery involved; and if the extent of involvement will require the center to

cover the cost of one or more course releases.

3) External Affiliates: Affiliates are individuals appointed to the center, without

financial obligation on the part of AUB, to carry out scholarly activities from

which they as well as the unit and the University will benefit. The conditions of

the appointment, including the extent to which the unit will provide support

services for the individual, are stated in writing at the time of appointment.

Affiliates are eligible for sponsored email accounts, internet access, and library

access. Borrowing privileges are available upon payment of a deposit to the

library. Affiliates do not have direct access to University services and are not

eligible for benefits afforded to University employees. Persons on affiliate

appointments are subject to University and faculty policies.

4) Fellows: The appointment/renewal of fellows funded by the unit for scholarly and

outreach activities is based on a transparent competitive process.

5) Interns: Interns are individuals, primarily students from AUB, but also students

from other institutions, who join the unit for academic training for periods of

three months to one year. Interns work under the supervision of the unit‘s faculty

or staff and appointments are recommended to the unit director by faculty

members or through exchange agreements signed between universities or with

other similar units. The Office of International Programs helps international

interns with visa and related issues. A clear mechanism for the appointment of

interns to academic units and centers remains to be developed.

6) Other: Institutes and centers may retain/hire consultants and engage contractors.

However, only academic units in faculties/schools may make official

recommendations on faculty appointments.

7.2 Initiative 2: Promote the involvement of AUB faculty

1) Create internal partnerships between centers, institutes, museums and those

departments/schools represented by faculty involved in collaborative research.

23

2) Require written feedback and recommendations from unit directors for faculty

performance reviews, reappointments, and promotions.

3) Involve participating faculty in reporting the activities of the unit to their home

departments/faculties/schools.

4) Disseminate periodic newsletters to deans, chairs, and faculty members.

5) Provide incentives for faculty to participate in the activities of centers, institutes,

and museums, including funding for research; graduate fellowships; teaching

secondments (for centers with degree programs); and support for visiting scholars.

6) Co-sponsor activities with participating home faculties/departments. 7) Co-sponsor or offer internships for senior and graduate students as applicable and

if funding is available.

7.3 Initiative 3: Increase research and development funding

1) Formalize external partnerships with relevant academic institutions, industrial

partners, federal laboratories, and other external entities interested in collaborative

research with centers, institutes, and museums.

2) Create alliances for the submission of research proposals and work on financial

models that encourage cooperation in research and development.

3) Organize joint national, regional, and international conferences, as applicable, to

build wide scholarly networks and increase the number of collaborative research

projects submitted to international funding bodies.

4) Address budgeting and financial planning issues:

Identify and aggregate the unit‘s financial support, including endowment

income, existing faculty research grants, external support, in kind support,

general University budget;

Determine fiscal return;

Support students/fellows (undergraduate, doctoral, postdoctoral) if applicable;

Project unit‘s budget for the next five years;

Seek diversity in funding sources.

5) Participate in academic activities, as applicable, in coordination with the Planned

Division of Interdisciplinary Programs (under discussion in the BOD). These

activities include:

Educational degree programs;

Courses which are part of a degree program;

Training programs; and

Other educational programs, including symposia and colloquia for internal and

external audiences.

7.4 Initiative 4: Strengthen AUB support for centers, institutes, and museums

1) Expand access to and participation in programs and events by native Arabic

speakers.

2) Establish a translation services center in conjunction with the Arabic and English

Department which can be strengthened with the introduction of a minor in Arabic

Translation.

3) Centralize digitization efforts.

24

4) Hire a dedicated communications and media officer for centers, institutes, and

museums to publish a periodic newsletter, develop website content, and draft

press releases and articles on activities for publication. 5) Improve processes in the Comptroller‘s Office.

6) Provide administrative offices and space for unit activities and interactions.

7) Introduce dedicated FTE staff/faculty lines to provide stability in the long-term

operations of centers, museums, and institutes.

8) Produce a single report for all the University centers, institutes, and museums,

and publish a periodic newsletter.

7.5 Initiative 5: Leadership and Excellence of Centers, Institutes, and Museums

1) Advance solutions to niche regional needs through a problem-centered research

approach. Specific problems include: fresh water production and management;

energy conservation for built-in environments; energy planning and policies; and

the protection of natural resources. [Please add as relevant here and below.]

2) Work toward becoming a regional or international center of excellence in a

particular area of expertise:

IBSAR to be the regional Chemical Library for Endemic Plants.

IBSAR to be the reference point for municipalities interested in establishing

green villages through the creation of green portfolios according to

international standards.

Masri Institute to be the regional center for energy efficient buildings systems

and processes. It will consolidate AUB‘s research profile in energy science,

energy technology, energy economics, public policy, and energy management

in order to attract research funding to address the current and future needs of

the region.

CAMES: To restructure the MA program in Middle East Studies and

introduce a new MA program in Islamic Studies, benching marking them

with leading MA programs in the US and Europe. To assist participants in

CAMES sponsored events to publish their studies in books and articles. To

offer undergraduate courses and lead the development of an undergraduate

minor in Middle East Studies. Given additional resources, to hire additional

faculty members and offer faculty summer research grants, graduate

assistantships for incoming students, summer language scholarships for

Master‘s students, graduate student research grants.

CASAR: Leading MA program in American Studies in the region measured by

increasing enrollment

CAMS:

IFI: IGESP: CCECS: NHM:

Archeology Museum: An ideal project would be to establish a regional lab

(possibly in collaboration with the Lebanese CNRS for C14, organic material

& soil analysis which will serve all of the ME region. 3) Establish mechanisms to relay solutions to stakeholders in public and private

organizations. Such mechanisms could include training workshops and public

25

participation in national and regional advisory boards for governments and non-

profit organizations.

4) Coordinate with OGC on enhancing technology transfer and increasing funding

for startup enterprises and companies emerging from the projects of centers and

institutes.

8. Five-year estimates of staffing and resources

8.1 Staffing The Museum Gallery needs a permanent Secretary (the present one is sponsored by the

Society of the Friends of the Museum) and two supervisors to watch the visitors, the

present student employees are unreliable & no procedures are in place to prevent them

from being absent anytime they wish.

8.2 GA full-time FTE Lines CASAR needs 5 GA lines.

8.3 Space The Museum needs a permanent storage space in Post Hall (The N-W tower can be

developed into one). The actual storage is in Van Dyck Hall, after having moved the

storage deposit to three different spaces within less than a decade.

8.4 Equipment The Museum needs a laboratory with the necessary equipment for metal and wood

conservation.

Planning Templates for the initiatives are presented in Tables SPU-1 to SPU-5.

26

Strategic Planning Unit: SPU for centers, institutes, and museums Initiative Serial # (ISN):

Description of initiative: Initiative 1

Administrative Structure of individual centers, institutes, and museums, and a coordinating structure for centers, institutes, and museums –

Establish Centers, Institutes, and Museums Council

# Key Implementation Steps Collaborating Work Unit Code(1)

Values Incremental to Base Year (2010-2011)

2011-12(2)

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

01 Hire research associates or RA S 0 1 2 3 3

02 Research associates or RA OE/OF 0 $20,000 $40,000 $60,000 $60,000

03 Course release for directors (1 course/semester)

OE/OF $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000

04 Hire administrative assistant Archeological Museum OE 0 1 1 1 1

05 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000

06

07 Graduate Students (GA FTEs)* Associated with degree granting centers and DIP

G 5 7 10 10

08 Tuition and stipend OE $100,000 $140,000 $200,000 $200,000

09 Graduate Students/ Work Study for Administrative work

For non-degree granting OF/OE $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000

10

Establish Centers, Institutes, and

Museums Council to support

meetings and retreats

Provost OE 0 $6000 $6000 $6000 $6000

11 Travel External Advisory boards Provost OE 0 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000

12 Travel External Advisory boards Centers OF $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000

Notes/Comments/Explanations: Distribution of GA’s by center??? An additional item is to formalize the course release per semester for the director of the center. They said that this issue does not show in any document

(1) Code: “CE”: Capital Expenditures (US$); “”CF“: Capital funding (US$); OE”: Operations Expenditures (US$); “OF”: Operations funding (US$)

“F”: Faculty FTE; “S”: Staff FTE; “U”: Undergraduate FTE; “G”: Graduate FTE (2)

Figures should tie-up with budget for 2011-12

27



Increase the involvement of AUB faculty in centers, institutes, and museums to increase opportunities for faculty and student to work on

interdisciplinary problems-centered collaborative projects.



2011-12(2)

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

01 Offer Graduate Fellowships Endowments of centers OF

02 OF

03 OF

04 Seed Funding for interdisciplinary research

Provost OF 0 $40,000 $40,000 $40,000 $40,000

05 OF??

06 OF

07 OF

08 OF

09 Course Releases Provost/Centers OE 0 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000

10 Course Releases Provost/Centers OF 0 $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 $50,000

11 Visiting scholars Provost/Faculties OE 0 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000

12

Notes/Comments/Explanations:




28


Description of initiative: Initiative 3: Provide support for fund raising activities (donor conference), conferences and networking to increase Research and Development Funding



2011-12(2)

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

01 Research Capital Equipment CE

02 Dedicated Officer in OA

03 Dedicated personnel to work on a strategy to promote and advertise CIM in the university

Dual Reporting: DIP/Provost and Office of Communications

S 0 1 1 1 1

04

Hold two types of conferences: i) formal conferences and one open house to present and discuss with AUB community possible interactions

Co-sponsorship OE 0 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000

05 Aim to secure endowment funds to all centers

CF

06 Photographer Service OE 0 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000

07 Salary of Officers Dual Reporting: DIP/Provost and Office of Communications

OE 0 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000

08

09

10

11

12





29



University support to centers, institutes, and museums – Increase Support to Service Units of the University: Digitization and Translation



2011-12(2)

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

01 Centralized Staff for Digitization Unit University/Provost S 0 1 2 3 3

02 Increase poster boards on campus and campus buildings

Communications OE 0 20,000

03 Digital Bulletin Boards Faculties OE $40,000

04 Equipment CF $250,000 0 0 0

05 Software CF $100,000

06 Digitization of Collection expenses and operating budget

OE 0 $50,000 $50,000 $20,000 $10,000

07

08 Real Time Interpretation Unit (Grant) CE $36,000 $15,000 0 0 0

09 Faculty lines for Translation Unit through introduction of a translation minor

English or Arabic Department

1 1 1

10 Salary for Faculty ( Translation) S 0 $80,000 $80,000 $80,000

11

12

13 Computers $10,000 10,000 10,000 $10,000





30



Leadership and Excellence of Centers, Institutes, and Museums



2011-12(2)

2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

01 Chemical Library for Endemic Plants OF

02 ISO-reference for Green villages OF

03

04 Director to visit other sister organizations or to attend leadership workshops

OF/OE $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000

05

06

07 One officer to follow up on the program review of the centers

Coordinator for Program Review

$30,000 0 0 0 0

08

09

Establish a regional lab (possibly in

collaboration with the Lebanese

CNRS for C14, organic material &

soil analysis which will serve all of

the ME region.

Archeological Museum CF 0 0 $300,000 0

10

11

12





31

9. Centers and Institutes Key Performance Indicators

Goal Performance Indicator Source

Create a structure for

the governance and

coordination of all

centers, institutes,

and museums that

will encourage them

to develop new

synergies with one

another and with

other academic units

at AUB.

- No. of developed well-defined policies

addressing interdisciplinary and interfaculty

issues.

- No. of proposals written for fund raising.

- No. of donations, gifts, fundraising activities

- Total $-amount of donations/year.

- No. of AUB disciplines participating in the

center.

Promote the

involvement of AUB

faculty in the

activities of centers,

institutes, and

museums in order to

strengthen the

University‘s

environment for

problem-centered

collaborative research

and education.

- No. of participating faculty in the unit.

- No. of visiting scholars.

- No. of internal partnerships.

- No. of external partnerships.

- Unit publications defined as contribution to the

unit‘s mission and not personal research of

director or faculty.

- Intellectual property disclosures, patents,

licenses.

- Unit faculty awards from professional societies.

- Other unit faculty honors/recognition.

- No. of problem-centered joint projects.

Expand the

resources and

partners available to

AUB centers,

institutes, and

museums in order to

increase the scope,

reach, and

effectiveness of their

activities.

- No. of externally funded research awards

administered by center.

- Total center award $-value (including awards to

unit-affiliated faculty that are an integral part of

the unit‘s program but are administered by the

department).

- Internally funded research projects (University or

unit funds).

- Research expenditures.

- Research proposals submitted.

- No. of graduate fellowships.

- No. of signed partnerships and agreements.

Strengthen

digitization and

translation services

to enhance the

visibility and impact

of AUB‘s collections,

research, and events.

- No. of digitized components or elements of

collections

- No. of students enrolled in interdisciplinary

graduate degree programs.

- No. of interdisciplinary educational programs

leading to a degree

- No. of courses which are part of a degree

program.

- No. of training workshops and programs.

32

Goal Performance Indicator Source

- No. of competitions/exhibitions.

- No. of visiting scholars and public

lectures/seminars.

- No. of planned or organized conferences and

extent of participation in the conferences.

- No. of symposia and colloquia for internal and

external audiences.

Advance evidence-

based solutions to

meet selected

regional challenges

in order to better

serve the peoples of

the Middle East and

beyond.

- No. of digitized objects.

- No. of research articles using digitized

collections as tool.

- Amount of external funding attracted to support

digital initiatives.

Improve processes in

the Comptroller’s

Office to enhance the

speed, accuracy,

knowledge, and

flexibility of staff so

that they can better

support the activities

of centers, institutes,

and museums.

- Process time of orders, travel requests, etc.

- Timely financial statements.

- Survey on services???

-

Improve

communications,

publicity, and

capacity for public

events and media

outreach in order to

help centers,

institutes, and

museums achieve

their separate

missions.

- No. of news reports and press releases.

-

10. Mechanisms and Activities to Secure Faculty/Staff Input in Planning Process

Directors to consult with their steering committee and share report?

Feedback from participating faculty, Deans, Graduate Students?

33

11. Schedule of Strategic Performance Reviews

12. Other Considerations

34

Appendix A. SWOT of Individual Centers and Institutes

A.1 CAMES SWOT Analysis

Strengths

1. Shaykh Zayid endowment funds the Center‘s programs and allows it to fund a range of

programs and events across campus. Meanwhile area studies funding in the US is being

severely cut and increasingly tied to defense and intelligence agencies.

2. Location in the heart of the Arab world and center of vibrant intellectual activity.

3. High interest in and demand for training in contemporary Middle Eastern studies allowing

the Center to be highly selective in accepting students into the Master‘s program

4. Flexible, trans-disciplinary MA program culminating in either a thesis or a project, often

based on field research.

5. Strong faculty in a variety of academic and professional disciplines with research and

teaching interests in the region

6. High interest in and demand for training in the Arabic language allowing the Center to be

highly selective in accepting students into the intensive language program

7. Availability of gifted language teachers who are native speakers of Arabic

8. On-going commitment to training language teachers through summer program in-service

training

9. Vital lecture program that engages colleagues in AUB departments

10. Valued program for affiliated researchers coming from other universities

11. Regular collaboration with institutes and foundations in Lebanon and other programs at

AUB in sponsoring conferences and lectures

Weaknesses

1. Lack of structure and coherence of MA programs does not always serve students well.

2. Limited office space for faculty and staff

3. Lack of effective governance structure to manage center and its various responsibilities,

including the coordination of all classes of Arabic as a foreign language at AUB.

4. Limited commitments by AUB faculty to the Center and its graduate students

5. Limited number of full time faculty dedicated CAMES.

6. Limited teaching space for Arabic language training (especially regarding possible

expansion of program during the academic year)

7. Student body predominantly composed of students from North America. Very few

qualified applicants from Lebanon and Arab world.

8. Limited coursework in other Middle Eastern languages (Turkish, Persian, Hebrew)

reduces the attractiveness of the program to speakers of Arabic

Opportunities

1. Expansion of intensive Arabic language during the regular academic year

2. Linkages to AUB faculty in other programs through joint appointments and research

projects

3. Undergraduate teaching

Threats

1. Uncertain political situation may affect enrollment of foreign students

2. Growing number of other language programs in the Middle East

3. Inability to accommodate students with US federal funding, especially to summer

language program

35

A.2 The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Center for

American Studies and Research (CASAR)

Strengths:

Large endowment which allows CASAR to fund and sponsor several activities and

research projects on campus.

The interdisciplinary nature of the AMST minor allows students to be open to

different majors and disciplines through the courses it offers.

Quality of speakers and scholars giving CASAR lectures and participating in

CASAR conferences.

CASAR‘s flexible structure allows it to respond quickly to local, regional and

international events.

Ability to fund research at AUB through offering Faculty grants with much more

flexible guidelines than the university development grants.

Strong outreach activities

Link with other Alwaleed Centers and participating in annual meetings to discuss

new means of coordination and communication between the centers.

Location of CASAR at AUB attracts many scholars to the region.

Offering controversial courses at AUB.

Attracting a diverse group of scholars at CASAR conferences.

Weaknesses:

Office space for our Edward Said Chair and visiting faculty members.

Lack of an operating budget from AUB to reduce office expenses and allocate

more funds towards research and teaching to fulfill CASAR‘s mission.

The complexity of the hiring procedures at AUB which make it difficult for

CASAR to recommend the hiring of American Studies scholars in various

departments.

Lack of a consistent evaluation system of faculty grants awarded by CASAR

The slowness in processing basic administrative procedures such as travel

requests, office supplies and reimbursements which affect our planning of events

and activities.

Limited AMST collection at university library.

No clear evaluation policies for directors of centers.

Opportunities:

Potential to fund more research on American studies through faculty grants and

graduate assistantships.

Initiatives to coordinate with other Alwaleed Centers and other American Studies

programs in the region.

Threats:

Political and economic instability of Lebanon and the region which sometimes has

a negative influence on the planning of CASAR activities and events.

36

A.3 SWOT: Nature Conservation Center for Sustainable Futures (IBSAR)

Ibsar Strengths

S1 Strong Faculty group; complementary team expertise, Established record of

productivity and expertise of faculty members, Multidisciplinary Dynamic group,

Efficiency, ability to generate results with limited funding

S2 Dedicated and well trained junior researchers; skilled individuals in horticulture

Strong team work, qualified staff in chemistry and field work essential basis for many

research projects

S3 Good outreach contacts with stakeholders; established a network of

municipality, minority, and school official groups in most villages extending from the

North to the South of Lebanon

S4 Rich Database; record keeping of plants, trees and activities undertaken in

communities

S5 Qualified student body; student / research assistants highly qualified

S6 Participatory group operation; strong collaborative activity, regular meetings of

executive committee and focused groups, seminars to share interdisciplinary expertise,

learn from each other's disciplines and workshops

S7 Application of Ibsar approach to regional biodiversity; establish collaborative

activity with groups of similar interest in the region

S8 Center acts as productive platform; clear vision, good team leadership, active

submission of proposals

S9 Access to wide range of equipment and research support departments; plant

tissue culture facility AREC/field/ glasshouses, access to herbarium, Access to library/

online, access to wide range of equipment in the CRSL and CORE laboratories, local AUB

store

S10 Attractive to private sector; Ibsar interested and capable of generating high end

scientific publications, expanding database on plant extracts and related bioactivities,

establishment of marketable protocols, innovative approaches to domestication and

cultivation.

S11 Sensitive and responsive to local communities and needs; responsive to local

limitations and needs, aligned with culture and heritage of the region, community

inclusive, prioritizing on all dimension of sustainable environment/ ecology/ culture and

economy, bridging scientific recourses and local community.

Ibsar Weaknesses

W1 Limited disciplines; No taxonomist, No field biologists (animal, marine, bird,

plants…), small groups compared to activity, some disciplines consist of very small teams,

No expertise in marketing, feasibility studies, product development.

W2 No compliance to center requirements because faculty time commitment

overwhelming; heavy loads and pressure on faculty members, center activities/ are not a

first priority for faculty members

W3 Lack of stability and continuity of research support of individuals because of

weak incentive; no competitive salary and no job security for staff, weak incentive for

research assistants (fringe benefits, etc.), no plans/ funding for visits training of RAs.

W4 Lack of clear guidelines for incoming visitors to centers; no mechanism to

invite interns and scholars to the center

37

W5 Lack of expertise among research assistants; RAs are not prepared nor trained

to work in a multidisciplinary context, not enough skilled support, inability to demonstrate

importance and potential role of RAs in working in the center.

W6 Student body only partially engaged to fulfill center mission; Lack of

intellectual involvement of students in center matters, weak exposure of students to group

activities, Ibsar not linked to academic programs

W7 Overwhelming multifaceted role and unequal distribution of functions among

members; while the mission of the center calls for community involvement; faculty

members are always bouncing between two facets: service and research, some faculty

focus more on service and less to their own research agenda, while others do the opposite

and so the research outputs of some members suffer to fulfill the mission of the center

W8 Poor coordination; poor coordination in terms of knowledge exchange and record

keeping

W9 Inadequate equipment and dedicated facilities; lack of post-harvest facilities

such as storage, freezing, drying distillation rooms, absence of storage growing rooms for

tissue culture, slow delivery and access to solvents/ chemicals, limited/ restricted access to

equipment, absence of preparatory equipment, grade labor intensive, maintenance of

equipment is poor, absence of basic specialized facilities, databases for molecules ID not

available

W10 Weak linkages with private sector; poor linkage with marketing team for

ornamental/ oil/ medicinal plants, poor knowledge in variety development and registration

and marketing, no clear strategy for short term output/ herbal products

W11 Weak linkages with university community and society at large; poor written

communication/ publication, lack of media coverage, large number of volunteers in field

in NGOs, weakness in attending and organization of workshops

W12 Limited possibilities for expansion to complementary disciplines; No inclusion

/ engaging additional clinical or toxicology research, Weak partnership with social

sciences, media and humanities

W13 Limited possibilities for product development; no success stories, no

commitments from faculty members towards applied science, minimal reward from the

institution, no encouragements to students, classical theoretical teaching uncoupled with

task/achievements related outputs

Ibsar Opportunities

O1 Strong AUB faculty; basic science biologists, strong backing of members to

center

O2 Large pool of AUB students; large pool of qualified student body, students

interested in volunteering and internship programs

O3 Diverse and established academic programs at AUB; expose students, research

assistants and faculty members to various programs and disciplines

O4 Investors financially capable and interested in innovative alternatives;

Emerging private sector interested in green products like ornamental horticulture, eco-

tourism/ cultural/ agricultural, natural products based industries

O5 Global interests in biodiversity conservation and use; Need for a regional

reference for native plant domestication, international interest of donors in medicinal

plants, in- vitro production for medicinal molecules, possibilities to become a biodiversity

reference center for Lebanon and East Mediterranean, build a regional natural chemistry

library, surge in interest in alternative medicine, revival of interest in cultural heritage,

38

global awareness and interest in addressing arid lands, global and regional interest in

biodiversity, emerging interest between the link in biodiversity agriculture-nutrition and

conservation to health ( eco-health), interest in society eco- health ( natural living food),

rich traditional Mediterranean food system known, Interested in women empowerment

O6 Local/Regional society interests in engaging in feasible biodiversity related

activities; regional and international interest to partner with Ibsar, Lebanon‘s diversity is a

challenging context, research output as training material, need for outreach expressed by

community, NGOs interested in collaboration, local administrative units (municipalities)

interested in collaborating with Ibsar, weak local expertise in MENA countries

O7 Increased interests in applied research; regional and international interest to

product development and solutions driven research and outreach materials in the green

business, combat of desertification and climate change related challenges

Threats to Ibsar

T1 Research output jeopardized; lack of understanding of the importance of

interdisciplinary research, limited team collaboration with certain disciplines like clinical

studies, humanities and social sciences

T2 Research efficiency affected; selection of plants dependent on restricted access of

plant material quantity, slow process/ production of molecules and extracts/ bottle neck

absence of PhD level leads to lack of continuity and lower level of research

T3 Weak technical institutional support; weak university internet system, restricted

access to some databases, slow internet connection, restricted use of social media like

Skype and web-conferences, weak administrative support to research staff, poor guidance

in terms of intellectual properties / technology transfer

T4 Weak academic incentive to pursue membership in Ibsar Marginal interest in

Ibsar by the upper administration, no alignment at university level between dual roles of

members in both academic units and centers, Ibsar not recognized as an institutional

commitment, recognition from university of committee service, student body not aware

and interested in emerging fields, lack of University support for biodiversity/

environmental academic programs example environmental economics, biodiversity and

nutrition, and others

T5 International NGOs are competitors; Competitors like UNDP and other local

NGOs have large budgets for outreach but no or weak research base ( FAO/ USAID), high

level of competition on international community-level, competitors are high-profile

organizations , international NGOs (to acquire funds) with expert grant writers and

lobbying powers, AUB considered as US agency , not interested in funding by EU/ UN.

T6 Regional/National NGOs as competitors; Regional organizations in the Gulf and

the Middle Eastern region have been initiated; these organizations are rich and have sought

help from international experts to protect the biodiversity assets of their countries.

T7 Lack of national guidance, rules and regulations; No CBD implementation—

export of native plants to outside labs, lack of public knowledge and misconception

regarding impact of biodiversity (national/regional), poor public awareness of the value of

natural landscape, introduction of exotic flora/ character, no understanding by the

Ministries of Environment, Tourism, and Agriculture about the importance of protection

biodiversity, governments information in public infrastructure in weak.

T8 Private sector not interested in research validation of products and

businesses; lack of time dependent vision and object, competitors with technology and

financial resources in Jordan , Israel, Egypt, strong marketing of products from private

sector without credibility of claims (zeinattat, mariamnour, ecotourism …), No trust in

39

potentials of local research, Competitors marketing strength against sustainable landscape,

Conventional taste and preference, Unregulated herbal market does not support stringent

research

T9 Region instable and lack of information about biodiversity; Unstable socio

economic situation, poor understanding of the region‘s biodiversity, its importance and

role in combating desertification and climate change

40

SWOT Table: Nature Conservation Center for Sustainable Futures (IBSAR)

Ibsar Strengths

S1: Strong Faculty group

S2: Dedicated and well trained junior researchers

S3: Good outreach contacts with stakeholders

S4: Rich Database

S5: Qualified student body

S6: Participatory group operation

S7: Application of Ibsar approach to regional

biodiversity

S8: Center acts as productive platform

S9: Access to wide range of equipment and

research support departments

S10: Attractive to private sector

S11: Sensitive and responsive to local

communities and needs

Ibsar Weaknesses

W1: Limited disciplines

W2: No compliance to center requirements

because faculty time commitment

overwhelming

W3: Lack of stability and continuity of

research support of individuals because

of weak incentive

W4: Lack of clear guidelines for incoming

visitors to centers

W5: Lack of expertise among research

assistants

W6: Student body only partially engaged to

fulfill center mission

W7: Overwhelming multifaceted role and

unequal distribution of functions among

members

W8: Poor coordination

W9: Inadequate equipment and dedicated

facilities

W10: Weak linkages with private sector

W11: Weak linkages with university

community and society at large

W12: Limited possibilities for expansion to

complementary disciplines

W13: Limited possibilities for product

development

Ibsar Opportunities

O1: Strong AUB faculty

O2: Large pool of AUB students

O3: Diverse and established academic programs

at AUB

O4: Investors financially capable and interested

in innovative alternatives

O5: Global interests in biodiversity conservation

and use

O6: Local/Regional society interests in engaging

in feasible biodiversity related activities

O7: Increased interests in applied research

Threats to Ibsar

T1: Research output jeopardized

T2: Research efficiency affected

T3: Weak technical institutional support

T4: Weak academic incentive to pursue

membership in Ibsar

T5: International NGOs are competitors

T6: Regional / National NGOs as competitors

T7: Lack of national guidance, rules and

regulations

T8: Private sector not interested in research

validation of products and businesses

T9: Region instable and lack of information

about biodiversity

41

A.4 Natural History Museum Strengths: Uniqueness and historical depth of the Museum‘s collections compared. The

Museum enjoys a scientific credibility not enjoyed by many other museums in the

country or the region;

Weaknesses: Lack of dedicated space; The space currently available is not optimal in

size and safety; Limited number of faculty; limited time available for faculty devoted to

museum work; controversy regarding credit load allocated to Museum work and relative

excess teaching load; Inability to plan strategically given the uncertainty of the current

and future space. Inability to recruit skilled technicians and/or inability to keep them due

to unattractive salaries.

Opportunities:

Threats: The Post Herbarium room in the FAFS building might be requested by the

FAFS. Pressure on the currently occupied space in the Biology Building.

42

Appendix B. Vision Statement of Individual Centers, Institutes, and Museums

B.1 The Center for Advanced Mathematical Sciences (CAMS)

The Center for Advanced Mathematical Sciences (CAMS) provides scientists in Lebanon and the

region with a vibrant, intellectual environment in which to develop their skills and to perform

first-class research in the Mathematical Sciences. By creating opportunities for advanced

research and teaching, and by serving as a catalyst for academic collaboration and

interdisciplinary research, CAMS will continue to play a unique role in advancing the

University‘s vision and mission, and in attracting and retaining exceptional scholars as members

of its intellectual community.

B.2 The Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies (CAMES)

The Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies is determined to position itself as the region‘s

leading program in trans-disciplinary graduate education and research. The Center will continue

to broaden and enrich the regional view of its graduate program by exploring and bridging the

varied disciplines represented by the University‘s diverse faculty. The Center will continue to

expand its rigorous programs in the acquisition of the Arabic language. The Center will continue

to serve the University community as a forum for the presentation of innovative research, open

discussion, and the exchange of ideas across disciplines.

B.3 The Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Center for American Studies

and Research (CASAR)

CASAR‘s future goals and objectives can be summarized as follows:

1. Establishing an MA Program in American Studies. CASAR‘s executive committee and

International Advisory Board have already had several meetings in this regard and are

exploring ways to increase the recruitment of faculty teaching American Studies.

2. Expanding links with American Studies programs in universities in the Middle East,

Europe and North America.

3. Coordinating and collaborating with the other Alwaleed Centers.

4. Continue the efforts to raise funds for the Edward Said Chair of American Studies.

B.4 The Center for Civic Engagement and Community Service (CCECS)

B.5 Interfaculty Graduate Environmental Sciences Program (IGESP)

The aim of the program is to create an enabling environment within AUB, Lebanon and the

Middle East region for the conservation of natural resources and the environment, by developing

economically viable solutions to reduce resource consumption, limit pollution and conserve

natural habitats.

43

B.6 The Issam Fares Institute (IFI) for Public Policy and International Affairs

B.7 The Munib R. and Angela Masri Institute of Energy and Natural Resources

B.8 IBSAR (Nature Conservation Center for Sustainable Futures)

B.9 Natural History Museum (AUB-NHM)

The Museum’s collection and its services cover Lebanon and the region. Both regional and global engagement comes from the interest of many institutions and researchers globally in our collections and some resultant collaborative work with local scientists working on faunal and floral biodiversity. The NHM represents a unique establishment in Lebanon especially regarding its history and

scope. The collections are the oldest collections in the region and one of the largest in size and

geographic scope. The curation and identification services of the NHM are not duplicated

anywhere on campus. The educational outreach role might overlap with that of IBSAR.

B.10 Archaeological Museum

the american university of eirut

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